Systems for the cleaning of the hoofs of an animal, typically a cow, housed in an automatic milking station is known through prior art. For example, WO 2016/056975, filed by the present applicant, discloses such a system as well as the medical reasons for the need thereof. The medical reasons for cleaning and/or treatment of the hoofs of an animal, typically a cow, will therefore not be further described here, but are to be regarded as well-known to the person skilled in the art.
WO 2016/056975 suggests that the hoofs of an animal that enters an automatic milking station are first cleaned by means of an automatic spraying device provided in the automatic milking station. This cleaning is followed by an ocular assessment of the condition of the hoofs by means of a camera mounted in the automatic milking station, and, finally, if the ocular assessment results in a decision in favour of a treatment, a treatment of the hoofs is performed by spraying a treatment fluid on the hoofs. The camera may be the same camera as the one that is used for determining the position of the teats of the animal and that is connected to a robot that controls the attachment of teat cups to the teats of the animal on basis of information from said camera. The treatment may be performed in the automatic milking station and by use of the same automatic spraying device as the one that is used for the cleaning sequence. Alternatively, as a consequence of a decision in favour of treatment, the animal is guided into a separate treatment station in which the treatment is performed.
However, the present applicant has come to realise that the use of spraying, instead of using a footbath or the like, results in the formation of aerosols, or a mist, that may reach the udder of the animal. These aerosols will contain bacteria and dirt. When a cow enters an automatic milking station her teat canals are often open. This is a pathway for bacteria into the udder. The aerosols formed by the cleaning process thereby risk to cause infection of the udder of the cow. This problem is not addressed by prior art.
It is thus an object of the present invention to suggest a solution to the abovementioned problem and thereby to enable efficient cleaning of the hoofs of an animal housed in an automatic milking station for the purpose of being milked in said station, with reduced risk of udder infection caused by said hoof cleaning.